Arnica

Arnica montana

Arnica is an aromatic perennial with a creeping rhizome, producing a basal rosette of 4-8 downy leaves 1-1/2 to 2-3/4 inches long in the first year. The flowering stem is usually unbranched, somewhat hairy, and almost 12 to 24 inches high, with only 1-2 pairs of opposite leaves. The flowers are golden yellow, daisy-like in appearance and show up in mid-summer to early autumn.

Arnica prefers the central and northern regions of the northern hemisphere, especially favoring sandy acid soils, rich in humus, and in sunny positions.

Arnica is often the first remedy of choice by homeopathic and naturopathic practitioners in many cases of sports injuries that may include severe sprains, ugly bruises, nasty wounds, and even shock. Arnica is also a likely treatment preference for diabetic leg ulcers. When used topically arnica can be applied as a tincture, ointment or oil, but should only be used if the skin is unbroken.

To make  the tincture, just combine three tablespoons of crushed arnica flowers in two cups of alcohol. Let this mixture stand for two weeks, shaking twice daily (preferably during a full moon). Then strain and pour the liquid into a bottle suitable for long-term storage. Use a diluted solution of about one teaspoon of tincture to a cup of warm water. Soak a small clean cotton cloth in this solution, squeeze out the excess liquid, fold into a small compact square and place over the bruise and leave there for 15 minutes. Repeat the process several times.

To make a simple but effective ointment, just pulverize two tablespoons of dried arnica flowers to powder; mix with eight tablespoons of melted petroleum jelly or Crisco. Add several drops of gum benzoin or a tincture of benzoin to help keep the ointment from turning rancid. Then liberally apply to any old wounds, leg ulcers or herpes sores that refuse to heal.

Arnica is a wonderful medicine. Arnica increases resistance to infection, including listeria and salmonella, and speeds healing after surgery, dental extractions and injuries of all kinds. Arnica can be taken, generally in homeopathic doses, for mental and physical shock, bruises, sprains, pain and swelling and fractures. Arnica also has a reputation for resolving fevers, stimulating the circulation and reabsorbing internal bleeding.

Arnica can be used externally as a dilute tincture or in a cream to speed healing of wounds, bruises, sprains and swellings. Arnica is wonderful for calming children who may have fallen over, bumped their heads, or knocked themselves. Applied over any unbroken surface it will ease pain, relieve rheumatic joints, and painful, swollen feet. Diluted one part in ten with calendula arnica can be used for skin rashes and other inflammatory skin problems.

Other names

• Arnica Flowers
• Arnica Root
• Common Arnica
• Leopard's Bane
• Mountain Arnica
• Mountain Daisy
• Mountain Tobacco
• Wolfsbane

Parts used

Flowers, rhizome.

Uses

An effective ointment and compress for bruises, sprains, and muscle pain, arnica improves the local blood supply and speeds healing. It is anti-inflammatory and increases the rate of reabsorption of internal bleeding. Generally arnica is now taken internally only at a homeopathic dilution, principally for shock, injury, and pain. If taken as a decoction or tincture, arnica stimulates the circulation and is valuable in the treatment of angina and a weak or failing heart. Arnica can be toxic even at low dosage and thus is rarely used in this way.
Arnica is also used to treat heel spurs.

HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathic practitioners use the flowers, leaves, stem, and root of arnica which are crushed to a pulp and soaked in alcohol before undergoing the homeopathic dilution process, which renders the substance nontoxic.
Arnica is an excellent first-aid remedy and is used for physical and emotional shock and injury, for example, following bereavement, an accident, surgery, dental treatment, or childbirth. Given internally, it promotes healing of damaged tissues and helps control bleeding.
It is an effective remedy, internally and externally, for joint and muscle problems, such as osteoarthritis, sore muscles due to unaccustomed exercise, cramps, bruises, and sprains.
It is also given internally for skin complaints, such as eczema and boils, concussion and black eyes, eyestrain, and fever when the head feels hot but the body feels cold.
In children, Arnica is given for a whooping cough, and bedwetting due to nightmares.

Habitat & cultivation

Arnica grows in mountain woods and pastures in central Europe, the Pyrenees, Siberia, Canada, and the northwestern US. Its flowers are harvested when in full bloom; the rhizomes, after the plant has died back in autumn.

Constituents

Arnica contains sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, and a volatile oil that includes thymol, mucilage, and polysaccharides.

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